Kenya Travel Guides

Overview:

Kenya is the 'Land of the Lion King' and sits at the centre of
the African safari experience, with an outstanding variety of wild
animals and Big Five viewing opportunities. Although safaris are
its greatest attraction, it is a country of great diversity with
much more to offer than splendid wildlife. Essentially it is a
place for outdoor living - the coast offers beaches and water-based
activities, the mountains present a challenge to hikers and
climbers, and the rolling savannahs are a game-viewers
paradise.

The country sits astride the equator and offers fabulous scenery
and a variety of tribal cultures. From its central location, the
sacred peaks of Mt Kenya reign over a landscape primarily covered
by grasslands and thorn trees, much of it enclosed within its many
parks and reserves. To the west the spectacular Great Rift Valley
is sprinkled with lakes teeming with a variety of birdlife, whose
shores and surrounds are traversed by agricultural farmlands. To
the east lies the promise of an idyllic beach holiday with the
requisite white palm-fringed beaches and pristine coral reefs.
Inhabiting the highlands and Rift Valley are two of the most well
known of the numerous tribal cultures, the Kikuyu farmers and the
tall, red-clad Masai cattle herders. The coast is home to ancient
Swahili civilisations and old port towns that are rich in a history
of exotic spice trading and fighting.

Kenya has a sophisticated tourism infrastructure, with two major
cities controlling the majority of the tourism trade. Nairobi, the
capital, is the safari and hiking hub, situated in the cool Central
Highlands, while on the east coast the hot and humid trading port
of Mombasa functions as the gateway to the resorts and pristine
beaches of the area. Sadly the heavy influence of tourism has meant
excessive prices for safaris, souvenirs and most activities of
interest to foreigners, as well as the constant hassle by touts,
guides and sellers to part with as much money as they can dupe the
guilty traveller into spending.

Despite this, the people are friendly and visitors can choose to
do as little or as much as they like, and the combination of
wildlife, together with its beaches and mountains, make Kenya a
fantastic holiday destination.